Improvement in fire-arms



2 Sheetsheet 2;

Patented Apr 2 1,861.

W.. 'MGCQRD Machine Gun.

lllllllllllllllllll ,1

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

WILLIAM MOCORD, OF SING SING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND OHAS. F. COX, OF SAME PLACE, AND ROBERTV WOODWARD,.OF NEW EGYPT, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEM ENT IN FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 31,933, dated April 2, 1861.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM McCoRD, of Sing Sing, in the county of Westchester-and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Guns, and Loading and Firing the Same; and; I do hereby declare that the following is a full,` clear, and exact description of the same, refer ence being had t0 the accompanying drawings, making part of this specication. Y

Figure 1 is a top View of a battery of two gulls constructed after the improved method, with the upper plate removed. Fig. 2 is asidev elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same at the line l 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the center of the same. Fig. 5 is another hori zontal section of the same at the line 3 4 of Fig. 4. Fig.' 6 is a vertical transverse section of the same at the line 5 6 0I" Fig. 3. Fig. 7'is another transverse section ot' the same at the:

line 7 8 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 9 is aside elevation of "one of.

cross-section of the same. v

Similar letters in the several figures refert corresponding parts. i

The nature of this invention consists in arranging between the rear open ends of two- (more or less) gunbarrels, firmly secured in a suitable frame or stock, and a breech-post or standard immediately in the rear, a perforated reciprocating breech block or plate, and providing in connection therewith detachable eartridge-chambers, a series of peculiar formed cams, sliding plates with rammers attached, percussion-hammers, and other parts, the whole being arranged and made to operate, by the simple act of turning a crank-shaft, with such concert of action as to enable one set of the openings in the reciprocating block or plate to be charged with the said detachable cartridge-chambers having ball-cartridge within them, and the cartridges in the similar cartridge-chambers in the other set tobe discharged through the barrels at every reciprocal throw of the said block or plate, and vice versa, and thereby cause a rapid and uninterrupted tiring of balls from both barrels proportionate with the speed with which the crankshaft is turned.

To enable others skilled in the artto make and use my invent-ion, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The gun-barrels Aare secured in place, one above the other, within a water-tight casing, Bf, by having their muzzle and breech ends reduced in size and respectively inserted in corresponding sized openings in an upright post, C, and upright block, D, which, together with the casing, are firmly bound together between two parallel plates, E, fastened to the said casing, post, and block by screws, and forming with them theframe or stock of the gun-barrels. Immediately in the rear of the stationary transverse block D is arranged another upright transverse block or plate, F, perforated at its central portion with four openings, F',

Iof greater diameter' than the bore of the gunbarrels. The centers of the upper two of these openin gs are onthe same horizontal pla-ne with the' center of the bore of the upper barrel, and the centers of the remaining two on aline with thecenter of the bore ot' the lower one, so that when the upper and lower openings, F', are respectively brought opposite the bores of the upper and lower barrels they will form enlarged continuations of the same. This transverse block or plate D is confined in place with. its ground surface pressedagainst the breech v ends of the barrels with the necessary force to form a tight joint by means of an upright post, G, between which and the block D this transverse block or plate F has a reciprocating movement thc exact distance that the centers of vthe openings F are situated apart transversely. This movement is produced by a peculiar formed cam, El, secured on the upper end of an upright shaft, I, whose lower end is inserted and turns in a step formed at the lower part of a circular casing, J, secured to the under and rear part of the lower stockplate, E. This shaft is turned by .a pinion or cog-wheel, K, meshing in' gear with a larger cog-wheel, L, secured on the lower part of the shaft I, which pinion or cog-wheel K is fastenedon the lower part of an upright shaft, K-, also resting and turning in astep in the circular easing J and extending up through openings or boxes in the plates E, and having a crank on its upper end by which it is turned, This cam H is curved on its sides, and is made somewhat similar to a heart in shape, with the shaft passing through it near the apex, except that its outer or furthermost part from the shaft is made in the form of a segment of a circle scribed from the center of the shaft I in such a manner as to enable its sides to operate on the sides of two parallel bars, b, between which it-is situated, secured to the lower surface of the transverse perforated breech plate or block F, and thus give thc necessary reciprocating throw to the same and its outer and inner circling surfaces to hold the said plate or block F stationary at the end of each throw the necessary length of time to tire and charge the respective sets of openings in the same, as will be more fully described hereafter. To the upright shaft Land immediately below this cam H, is secured another cam, H', precisely similar to it in every respect, except that it is only one-halt' its thickness. It is fastened on said shaft with its broad portion in a directly opposite direction to the broad portion of the upper cam, H.

The lower portion of the upper cam, H, is situated between the edges of and within a rectangular space formed at the end of a plate, M, sliding in suitable guiding-boxes immediately below the lower plate, E, and having a right-angledwing-piece, M', extending a short distance from its side, midway between its ends, and resting on another plate, N, precisely similar, except that its rightangled win g-piece N' extends from it on the oppositeV side to that ou which the other wing-piece, l is situated. The lower cam, H, is arranged and revolves between the edges of and within the rectangular space at the enlarged end of the lower plate, N, in such a manner as to cause its movements to be in reverse order to those of the upper plate, M.

To the wing-pieces M' N' are secured the lower ends of shafts or studs O, which riseon either side of the casing B, and are attached at their upper ends to remmer-frames P, which slide back and forth with the reciprocating p lates M N in boxes at the sides of the said casin g. Each of these rammer-frames has two parallel ramrods, P', attached, arranged one above the other and the same distance apart, and on the same horizontal planes as the upper and lower openings, F', in the transverse reciprocating breech-plate F, and consequently the bores of the gun-barrels A. The ends of these ramrods P' pass through openings in the transverse block Dinto the lower ends ot' cartridge-chamber channels or slots Q, formed in the rear surface of the block D andinelining toward each other. Thetwo central ones extend from the top of the block D to points on a line with the upper openings, F', in the tra-nsverse reciprocating plate or block F, and the other two, whose upper outlets are outside the first-mentioned two, extend to, points on a line with the lower openings, F'. The upper ends of these slots or channels Q communicate through corresponding inclined openings in the upper plate, E, with a peculiar-formed hopper, R, fastened on top of the said upper plate, E, through which the charged cartridgechambers F2 are supplied to the channels or slots Q. This hopper from the front portion the hopper is some distance above the upper.

plate, E, and inclines both ways from the center toward the sides of the said plate E at angles of about fifteen degrees, until within a short distance. ot' the side portions, a litt-le greater than two thicknesses of the cartridgechambers F2. From these points of the bottom the inner inclined portions, R', extend downward and inward at more acute angles with the upper plate, E, than the outer inclined portions of the hopper, and form obtuse angles and coutinuations with the sides of the 4inner cartridge-chamber channels or slots, Q, s0 as to enable knife-edged division-pieces V, between the said outer and inner inclined portions, It', of the hopper R, to properly guide the eartridge-chambers F2 into the said slots or channels Q a-nd prevent them from choking up the entrances.

The spring-hammers S, which explode the percussion-caps on the nipples at the rear ends of the cartridge-chambers F2, are operated at the proper intervals of time to correspond with the movements of the transverse reciprocating breech plate or block F by means ot' cams T, secured on the upright shaft K. These cams are made circling nearly their entire extent, the omitted portion beingasingle ratchet-notch, c, cut out of each of them, whose less abrupt portion extends tangeutiallyashort distancefrom the inner part of the more abrupt portion before it curves eccentrically into the line of the circular portion. The object in thus forming the cams T is to prevent that vibration of the spring-hammers S that must otherwise ensue,

the peculiar tangential and curved surfaces immediately next the abrupt or radial portions from which the ends of the springs S are tripped coming in contact with the same as they revolve, and serving to arrest their rst movement forward after the blow has been given to explode the cartridge, and thus stop such vibration. The hammers S strike on the endsA or heads of percussion pins or rods V, whose inner or forward reduced ends extend loosely through openings in the upright breech-post G to nearly iiush with the rearv surface of the r transverse reciprocating breech-plate F, being held in this relation thereto, 'except when struck by the hammers S, by means of spiral springs s, surrounding them and inclosed in corresponding openings in the said post Gr, and so conncd between shoulders on them and the inner parts of the spaces in which they are inclosed as to produce this result. The shoulders on these percussion-pins V are pressed by the spiral springs s against aplate secured by screws, dovetails,orother convenient means to the rear surface of the breech-post G, and in this manner the said shoulders are made to act as a preventive to the escape of any portion of the charge t'rom the cartridge-chambers past the same.

The detachable cartridge chambers F2 ernployed are represented in detail in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, and consist of steel cylinders open at their front and closed at near their rear ends, where they are provided with percussion-cap nipples, which are within and surrounded and protected by their rear ends. They are turned and smoothly finished on their outer surfaces, so as to exactly t in the openings F in the reciprocating plate F, and smoothly bored and reamed out to precisely the same sizeas the bore of the gun-barrels A. Their extreme length is exactly the same as the length of the openings F in the reciprocating block or plate F, so that when inserted therein and moved with the said block or plate F opposite the gunbarrels, with their bores on line with the corresponding bores of the same, their rear ends will be iiush with and rest against the front surface of the upright breech-post G and their front ends iiush with the breech ends ofthe gun-barrels, and thus securely confined, and in fact made to form a continuation of said gunbarrels.

The casingB, in which the gun-barrels A are inclosed, is filled with cold water, to keep said barrelsin a cool state during the tiring through the same, although their tendency to heat will in a great measure be prevented by the employment of the detachable cartridge-chambers F2, which serve to take up the greatest portion of the heat consequent upon the explosion of the cartridges within them. In case it is found necessary to more effectually aecomplish this object-when, for example, a longcontinued tiring takes place-an opening or outlet may be made at the lower portion of the front end of the casing to allow the gradual discharge of the water as it becomes heated from contact with the barrels and a fresh supply of cold water admitted at the upper part of the breech end of the said casin g, so as to cause a constant stream of cool waterfto flow around and past the barrels.

The operation is as follows: The detachable cartridge-chambers F2, charged with ball-cartridge, being placed .in regular parallel position in th'einclined cartridge-chamber slots or channels Q in the transverse block D and hopper R, and motion given to the crank-shaft K', a reciprocating movement will be given the transverse breech plate or block F by, means of the side curved surfaces ot' the upper portieri of the upper cam, H, on the shaft I, operating on the bars b, attached to the same, causing the the open-in gs F' in said plate or block F- to be alternately brought opposite to and on a line with the bores of the barrels A, and the lower ends of the cartridge-chamber slots or channels Q at every reciprocal throw of the said plate or block, and to be held in that position until the outer segmental edge of the said cam H has passed said bars b. During the stoppage ot' this transverse block or plate F the abrupt edges ofthe notches of the cams T pass the ends -of the springs ot'v the hammers S, and, disengaging the same, allow said hammers to strike the ends or headsofthe percussion-pinsV and explode the percussion-caps on the nipples of and cartridges in the detachable chambers F2 in the openings or chambers F immediatelyin front, and discharge their balls through the barrels with which they are in line. At the same time that this is being done the set of rammers P on one side of the casing B is being withdrawn from the lower ends ot' the cartridgechamber slots or channels Q, opposite which a blank portion of the surface ot' the transverse block or plate F is presented in withdrawing from the bottom of their slots or channels Q, and the other set' of rammers on the opposite side ofthe casin gis forcing the charged detachable cartridge-chambers F2, at the lower ends of their slots or channels Q, into the openings or chambers F in said block or plate F,.which are situated on" line with the same. In this manner the detachable chambers F2 containing ball-cartrid ges are driven into the sets of openings or chambers F in the transverse reciprocating plate or block F by the sets of rammers P, respectively designed for them, the said block or plate moved to bring them opposite the gun barrels, their cartridges discharged therefrom, the ram mers withdrawn to admit the descent of freshly-discharged cartridge-chambers F2 to the bottoms or lower ends of the cartridge slots or channels, and a constant and quick tiring of vballs from the barrels kept up by the simple act of.turning the crank-shaft K', the cams H H operating with the necessary concert t-o move the reciprocating breech block or plate F while the rammers are kept at rest, and vice versa.

This invention is principally designed for the ordinary-sized musket and rifle barrels, but' it is also adapted to guns of a larger caliber. -It may be either placed in a suitable carriage on a fortification or on aship-deck, and in either event it will be prov'idedvvitli he necessary swiveljoint and elevatin foperly direct its tiring against a After the detachable have been discharge moved with the recip line with the ramme from the rear of the-f by the act of the ram er hambers F2 'ntents and ch-plate on re discharged vng the charged chambers F cartridge-chambers F2 from the slots Q into the said openings or chambers F.

What l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination and arrangement of the rains H H on the upright shaft l, parallel bars b on the lower part of the reciprocating block or plate F7 sliding' plates M N, having spaces formed in their enlarged ends and rammers P( atarhed, and inclined cartridge-chamber slots or channels Q, formed in the transverse block` D, the said cams H H giving the necessary reciploeating movements to the said block on plate F and sliding plates and rannners at theproper intervals of time in relation to eaeh other, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein fully set forth.

2. Forming the lower part ofthe hopper R, I

as represented' and described, with a knifeedged partition between the entrances to the cartridge slots or channels Q, for the purpose of preventing the detachable cartridge-chambers F2 choking up the en trance to said slots 0r channels as they descend into the same, as herein set forth.

3. Thepeeuliar tangential and eccentricform of the portions of the cams Timmediatelynext the more abrupt portions from which the ends ofthe spring-hammers S are tipped, in combination with said spring-hammers, operatingfin the manner and for the purpose described.

WM. MGCORD.

Vitnesses:

E. MAHER, ED. W. MAYENs. 

